Speak Out 1/26/06

Teaching constraints

THE REASON teachers are leaving the teaching profession and college students are fleeing from the very thought of becoming an educator is because teachers have lost all control of what they can do to foster education. We cannot educate without governmental, parental and social restrictions. We cannot discipline without scrutiny from governmental, parental, social and legal entities watching like hawks. We can not instill American values without first having to pass those values through the social, legal and governmental sifter. We cannot devise a fact-based, researched curriculum without chides from the political, social, parental and social interests groups. We can not implement common-sense solutions, because one group or another gets its feelings hurt. The only control we have left is to leave the profession or not go into it at all.

Hollywood experience

I WANT to thank Cape Girardeau for letting the Hollywood film crew come here to film "Killshot." The producers could have easily sent artists to the city to sketch pictures of the buildings only to have them recreate downtown Cape, the Missouri Dry Docks and the other Cape businesses on a Hollywood back lot. To Mayor Jay Knudtson, thank you. I really enjoyed the Hollywood experience.

Thanks for the help

I WANT to thank to the folks at Rainbow Vacuums in Jackson for letting me use their phone when I had an automobile issue. Jackson still has people who care, respect and help those who have problems. May God bless you all.

No correlation

I DON'T see a correlation between selling refrigerated beverages and teenage driving. If teenagers are able to purchase beer, we have a larger problem than whether or not we sell cold beverages. People who are going to drink and drive are going to do so regardless. They'll just drink warm beverages. As a recent comment pointed out, there is too much money involved with keeping beverages cold. What's next? Are we going to ban the sale of whiskey because someone could drink and drive?

Seasonal lesson

A MOTHER was frying eggs for breakfast when her son burst into the kitchen. "Careful!" he exclaimed, then continued an excited, rapid commentary. "Put in more butter. Oh, my goodness. You're cooking too many at once. Turn them. Turn them now. We need more butter. They're going to stick. Careful! You never listen to me when you're cooking. Turn them. Hurry up. Don't forget to salt them. You know you always forget to salt them. Use the salt. Use the salt now." His mother stared at him. "What is wrong with you? You think I don't know how to fry a couple of eggs?" The son calmly replied, "I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I am playing soccer." Let's remember this story when we attend our children's ballgames this season.

Need new flag

IT WOULD be great if the Knights of Columbus Hall in Cape Girardeau would get a new U.S. flag. The one that's there is shredded.